THE combination of the Coronavirus pandemic and the long, dry spell is enabling many Lymm residents to discover – or rediscover – one of the village’s oldest beauty spots.
Most of the year, The Bongs – one of the few areas of semi-ancient woodland in Warrington – is so muddy that only the most determined walker will visit it.
But currently it’s as dry as a bone and with many people having unexpected time off because of COVID-19 they are venturing off the popular walks around Lymm Dam and heading to the Bongs.
Situated at the southern end of Lymm Dam, The Bongs – it’s an old Cheshire dialect word meaning “wooded banks” – is signposted at Crosfield Bridge
A semi-ancient woodland is one where the wood itself is older than its oldest trees.
The Bongs is an attractive valley through which runs Mag Brook. There are numerous ponds and the woodland is dense in places. But a pathway runs through it, with board walks, steps and bridges to help the walker through the more difficult parts.
Eventually the path leads open fields and to the A50 Warrington-to-Knutsford Road although it is possible to makeinto a circular walk back to the Dam.
Although anyone who has lived in Lymm for any length of time will have discovered The Bongs before, many newer residents will not even know it is there.
Now is a good time to find it – before the weather breaks. And providing, of course, you can do so without breaching the “Lockdown” instructions!
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8 Comments
This post is quite irresponsible too be honest and I know I’m not the only one in thinking this. Some people don’t need much encouragement as it is to flaunt the rules. So please can someone from Warrington Worldwide tell me why this is here? You are going to make it worse for us that are already complying to the restrictions and have been since they began.
Sarah, people taking daily exercise in their local area isn’t flouting the rules. Only local people are going to be going to areas like Lymm Dam and The Bongs, and the terrain of The Bongs is such that it doesn’t really allow/encourage people to congregate. For the most part everyone in Warrington and Lymm has been fantastic at adhering to the guidelines, the people of Warrington have been at their best – getting over-zealous like this about harmless local nature-walking is counterproductive and only risks a backlash.
Niall it isn’t just local people though! Iv’e seen for myself people visiting from out of the area. Here is just one example for you. Some men on bikes coming out from the path and debating/arguing with each other which way to go now. As they want to hurry up and finish their bike ride and not get lost. I’m all for exercising outside and appreciating our surroundings but this post is actively encouraging people to visit the dam. Are you going to check that everyone that visit are locals. No you will not.
I do stand by my comment. It is very irresponsible to put the report out there full stop. When this all settles down it will be appropriate.
I have asked for this article to be removed. I think it is irresponsible to encourage people to travel outside of their immediate area to go for walks. The dam is too busy at the moment already, difficult to socially isolate. Car parks full at times. Not local people as most don’t know where they are going.
The bong is also largely one way and in places there is only room for single file.
The article makes it quite clear people shouldn’t break the lockdown regulations. The bongs are well publicised on various websites. Are you going to ask the Ramblers Association to remove every article on every beauty spot? It provides some useful information for local people who can visit complying to the restrictions by walking from their homes. We haven’t broken any laws or published anything encouraging people to break them.
Just admit it is a badly timed article!! Local people are aware of the bongs so no need to advertise it on your paper. I am really quite disappointed and quite shocked at your response to people’s requests to remove this article.
Not as shocked as I am for you sharing it to thousands of other people on social media advertising it even more. The Government has been spending tens of thousands of pounds advertising that people should go out for exercise and that councils should keep parks open. It is up to us as responsible adults and human beings to observe social distancing. There are far bigger issues in the world right now.The author of the article is a “vulnerable” Lymm resident who stumbled across the Bongs during his daily execise and thought it would be nice to share it so a few others might enjoy it. You have escalated it out of all proportion and highlighted more than necessary – so if it does suddenly get flooded with day trippers now you need to take a hard look in the miror. If you believe we have breached any journalistic codes of conduct feel free to submit a complaint to the relevant authorities or take up the issue with the local parish council who we work closely with. We have done absolutely nothing wrong.
are you hard of reading? The article clearly states that you should follow the Covid 19 lockdown advice. Yet another example of Lymm buddy duddies embarrassing the village with their League of Gentlemenesque gobbits of selfish nonsense. “it’s a local bong for local people. There’s nothing for you here”